Den lille damperen Topdal forsvant i dypet i Store Lundegårdsvann 10. Juli 1946. Topdal hadde gjennom årene gjort tjenste som ferge i Kristiansand. I 1940 ble hun solgt til nye eiere i Bergen og satt i tjeneste der som ferge mellom Bergen - Askøy og Bergen - Alvøen. Etter den tyske invasjonen av Norge i April 1940, ble Topdal stort sett liggende for anker, og gjennom krigsårene 1940 til 1945 ble hun iblandt rekvirert av de tyske styrkene som slepebåt. Når den andre verdenskrig sluttet, ble Topdal igjen lagt opp, og her gikk hun til slutt ned i dypet i 1946. Og deretter ble hun glemt i mange år. Opp gjennom årene er det blitt ønsket av flere foreninger og andre interesserte at Topdal skal lokaliseres, og om mulig heves. Men så langt har disse planene og ønskene ikke blitt realisert, og vraket av Topdal hviler fortsatt på bunnen av Store Lundegårdsvann. ...


The small steamer Topdal disappeared in the deep in Store Lundegårdsvann 10. July 1946. Topdal had through the years done service as a ferry in Kristiansand. In 1940 she was sold to new owners in Bergen and put in service there as a ferry between Bergen - Askøy and Bergen - Alvøen. After the German invasion of Norway in April 1940, Topdal mostly laid at anchor, and through the war years 1940 to 1945 she sometimes was requisitioned by the German forces as a tug boat. When the second world war ended, Topdal again was laid up, and here she finally went down in the deep in 1946. And thereafter she was forgotten for many years. Up through the years wishes from organizations and other interested people that Topdal should be found, and if possibly raised. But so far this plans and wishes haven't been realized, and the wreck of Topdal still rest at the bottom of Store Lundegårdsvann...

 

Name:
Former names:
Material:
Dimensions:
Topdal
 
Iron
76,5x 14,3x 5,2 f.
       
Tons: Built: Homeport: Cargo:
70 grt Kristiansand ( N ) 1874 Bergen ( N ) None

 

 

Information from www.warsailors.com;
Pre war history: Delivered in 1874 from Christiansands Mek. Verksted, Kristiansand as Topdal to Dampskibsselskabet Topdal, Tveit, Kristiansand. Iron hull, 76,5’ x 14,3’ x 5,2’, 70 gt, 2cyl Compound 15nhp. In regularly scheduled service in Topdalsfjord near Kristiansand. In 1894 she went back to Christiansands Mek. Verksted as partial compensation for the building of a new vessel, and was in use at the yard. In the summer of 1896 she was lent out to Kragerø Fjorddampskibsselskab, Kragerø, while that company was waiting for the completion of a new ship. Sold that year to Ingebrigt Christiansen, Bergen and in service Bergen-Laksevåg (Gravdal, Skålevik, Kjøkkelvik, Olsvik og Gjerdingsnes)-Kleppestø and Strusshamn, Askøy, registered for 159 passengers. Transferred to Aktiedampskibsselskabet Topdal (Ingebrigt Christiansen, Bergen) in 1898, same service. Rebuilt in 1902, new engine installed. In 1910 the owning company changed its name to Dampskibsselskabet Topdal A/S, Bergen, and the route was extended to Bergen-Laksevåg-Kleppestø and Strusshamn/Askøy-Alvøen-Håkonshella, and later also to Sotra (Døsjø, Ekerhovd, Ebbesvik, Brattholmen and Bjorøy). It was very popular during holiday seasons when people living in the cities took to the countryside. In 1925 Topdal was used in the summertime but otherwise laid up.
World War II: Sold on December 31.1940 to Eilert Østbø, Hundvåg (Stavanger), then sold again on Aug. 8-1941 to Ole Sivertsen, Bergen. Sold in 1943 to Skibs-AS Farmann (Finn Eide, Bergen). Occasionally used as tug in Bergen harbour, but often laid up in Store Lungegårdsvann, Bergen.
POST WAR: Sank on July 10-1946 while laid up in Store Lungegårdsvann.



Edited 29.06.2007